Recording apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus wherein image fixing means is controlled for different fixing conditions under which a toner image is fixed on a recording material to adapt it to a synthetic resin sheet as the recording material or to a color image to be fixed, including at least one of fixing temperature, fixing speed and actuation of cleaning means. The present invention is particularly effective in use for a recording system in which the fixing temperature and speed are decreased and the cleaning means is actuated when a color image is to be formed on a transparent or resin sheet. The present invention is most useful for a color image recording system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A recording apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image;   a pair of rotatable members for gripping and conveying a recording material to heat and fix said toner image on said recording material;   means for heating at least one of said rotatable members;   means for rotating said rotatable members;   means for setting a first fixing condition capable of fixing said toner image onto a said recording material which is a synthetic resin film;   means for setting a second fixing condition capable of fixing said toner image onto a said recording material when it is a sheet of paper, the first fixing condition providing a rotational speed of said rotatable members lower than that of the rotatable members under the second fixing condition;   means for generating a signal indicative of the recording material being the synthetic resin film; and   means for selecting the first fixing condition in response to said signal.   
     
     
       2. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said heating means includes means for heating one of said rotatable members which contacts the surface of said recording material opposite to the toner image side thereof to a temperature higher than that of the other rotatable member contacting the toner image side on the recording material. 
     
     
       3. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including means for cleaning the surface of one of said rotatable members and means for moving said cleaning means to a position engaging the surface of said rotatable member when a toner image is to be fixed to the recording material which is a synthetic resin film. 
     
     
       4. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 3, further including means for applying an anti-offset liquid to the rotatable member which is adapted to engage said cleaning means, and wherein said cleaning means is adapted to engage the rotatable member upstream of a position at which said applying means supplies said anti-offset liquid to the rotatable member and downstream of a position at which the recording material is gripped between the pair of said rotatable members in the direction of rotation of said rotatable member. 
     
     
       5. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said cleaning means includes a movable cleaning web. 
     
     
       6. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the surface of the rotatable member engaged by said cleaning web is made of rubber. 
     
     
       7. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 3, further including a cleaning and applying roller for removing offset toner from the surface of the rotatable member which is to be cleaned by said cleaning means and also for applying the anti-offset liquid to said rotatable member, and wherein said heating means includes a source of heat disposed within said roller for heating said rotatable member through said roller. 
     
     
       8. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said toner image forming means includes color image forming means for forming a color toner image fixed to the resin film recording material. 
     
     
       9. A recording apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image;   fixing means including a rotatable fixing member for heating and fixing said toner image onto a recording material;   means for heating said rotatable fixing member;   means for controlling surface temperature of said rotatable fixing member;   means for controlling peripheral speed of said rotatable fixing member; and   selector means for setting the surface temperature and peripheral speed of said rotatable fixing member in accordance with the sort of said recording material, the set temperature and speed being together increased or decreased.   
     
     
       10. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said selector means includes means for decreasing both the surface temperature and rotational speed of said rotatable fixing member when the synthetic resin film rather than the thin paper is used as a recording material. 
     
     
       11. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said selector means includes means for informing or detecting that said recording material is a synthetic resin film to decrease the rotational speed and surface temperature of said rotatable fixing member. 
     
     
       12. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 9, further including a rotatable member cooperating with said rotatable fixing member to grip and convey said recording material therebetween, said rotatable fixing member being positioned to the surface of said recording material opposite to the toner image side, and said rotatable member being located to the toner image side of the recording material. 
     
     
       13. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said heating means heating the surface of said rotatable fixing member to a temperature higher than that of said rotatable member surface. 
     
     
       14. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 12, further including means for cleaning said rotatable member contacting the toner image, actuator means for moving said cleaning means toward and away from said rotatable member, and means for controlling the operation of said actuator means in accordance with the sort of said recording material. 
     
     
       15. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said controlling means causes said cleaning means to contact said rotatable member when said selector means operates to decrease the setting temperature and speed of said rotatable fixing member. 
     
     
       16. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said selector means includes means for decreasing both the rotational speed and surface temperature of said rotatable fixing member when the synthetic resin film rather than the thin paper is used. 
     
     
       17. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said selector means includes means for informing or detecting that the recording material used is a synthetic resin film, to decrease the setting temperature and speed of said rotatable fixing member. 
     
     
       18. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said toner image forming means includes means for forming a multi-color toner image to be fixed to the synthetic resin film when the recording material used is the synthetic resin film. 
     
     
       19. A recording apparatus comprising: means for selectively forming a monochromatic or multi-color toner image;   fixing means including a rotatable fixing member for fixing the toner image formed by said toner image forming means onto a recording material;   means for controlling the peripheral speed of said rotatable fixing member;   means for cleaning the surface of said rotatable fixing member; and   selector means for separating said cleaning means from said rotatable fixing member upon the monochromatic toner image fixing and for engaging said cleaning means with said rotatable fixing member upon multi-color toner image fixing.   
     
     
       20. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 19, further including means for setting the peripheral speed at a first speed when the toner image is colored and for setting it at a second speed when the toner image is monochromatic, said first speed being lower than said second speed. 
     
     
       21. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 20, further including means for heating said rotatable fixing member to heat and fix the toner image onto the recording material, means for controlling the surface temperature of said rotatable fixing member, and means for setting a first temperature when the toner image is colored and for setting a second temperature when the toner image is mono-colored, said first temperature being lower than said second temperature. 
     
     
       22. A recording apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image;   fixing means including a rotatable fixing member for fixing said toner image onto a recording material and means for cleaning said rotatable fixing member;   means for generating a signal representing that said toner image is to be fixed to the recording material which is in the form of a synthetic resin material;   means for setting a first cleaning mode in which said cleaning means acts on said rotatable fixing member when said toner image is to be fixed to the synthetic resin film and a second cleaning mode in which said cleaning means is separated from said rotatable fixing member to its inoperative position when said toner image is to be fixed to a sheet of paper as a recording material; and   means for changing said setting means into the first cleaning mode in accordance with said signal.   
     
     
       23. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein said toner image forming means includes means for forming a multi-color toner image. 
     
     
       24. A recording apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said heating means includes means for heating one of said rotatable members other than the rotatable member contacting said roller to a surface temperature higher than that of the rotatable member contacting said roller.